Benzilan Town Travel Tips
Useful Number
- Tourist Compliant: 0887-8412748
- Telephone Number Inquiry: 114
- Weather Forecast: 121
- Fire: 119
- Police: 110
- Ambulance: 120
- Tourism Information Inquiry: 0887-8412748
- Deqin County Coach Station:0887-8413322
Banks
Because Benzilan is a small place, there are no Banks of China. If you have any money exchange needs, please exchange it in Banks of China in Diqing. Therefore, please be ready for enongh cash.
Best Time to Visit Benzilan
Benzilan is very hot in summer due to the typical dry-warm valley climate. Compared with other months, October is the best time to visit Benzilan, it will not be too hot or too cold.
What to See
The Benzilan is an important traffic route from ancient times to the present. The Benzilan Ferry is the famous ancient ferry on the Ancient Tea Horse Road. It is also the“Ancient Tea Horse Road”that entered into Tibet or Sichuan from northwestern Yunnan. There are many attractions around Benzilan. Such as
Dongzhulin Temple (东竹林寺; Dong Zhu Lin Si; Tibetan: Dhon-Drupling Gompa). A wonderful temple built on the side of the gorge around 15 km northwest along the main road to Deqin County. The monastic village that surrounds it is also quite lovely. Dongzhulin Temple was founded in 1667 by Kusho Dondrub and received its name by the Fifth Dalai Lama in 1670. It has many beautifully intricate paintings inside and several precious statues. There is no problem to get there by hiring a micovan.
The first bend of the Jinsha River (金沙江第一湾), (8 km northwest of Benzilan along the main road). There is a viewing platform along with the customary ticket office, but it is necessary to pay the fee to see the magnificient views.
What to Pack
• The temperature difference is big between day and night, especially when it rains. Tourists should take some thick and long sleeves with you to prevent getting cold.
• Do not forget to prepare some cold medication, intestinal medicine band-aid, daily necessities and medicine.
• As Benzilan is located in a valley at the altitude of 2022 meters, the ultraviolet (uv) radiation is very strong that you should bring sunhat and sun scream with you.
What to Buy in Benzilan
There are several shops along the main road selling the same silverware and materials that are found elsewhere in the region. Tibetan wooden materials.
How to Get in and Get Around Benzilan
There is a bus (though it might be a microvan) that leaves for Shangri-La at 7:30 a.m. If you do not want take a microvan, just stand by the side of the road and flag down any of the long-distance buses that pass from morning to mid-afternoon. In January, Shangri-La long-distance bus left at 8:00 a.m.
All of the buses from Shangri-La to Deqin pass through the town, for Benzilan at 2:30 a.m. from Feima (horse statue). In fact, the mid-point lunch stop is often taken a mere five minutes south of Benzilan. Tickets can be bought at Shangri-La long-distance bus station for ¥24. Minibus for ¥40/p.
